Note: We don’t view te #WaveOfAction as a potential last gasp of Occupy. It is one more series of protests and resistance efforts that will continue no matter how large the #WaveOfAction protests are. It is up to the people how large the protests are, how creative and how effective. This is part of the process of building a mass movement — a movement that is much more than the occupy encampments were.

What will prove to be either the last gasp of the Occupy Movement, or its Renaissance as a social powerhouse, will lie in the success and its embrace of a highly-publicized #WaveOfAction which launches a major 90-day program of protest and resistance on April 4.

The Wave begins, symbolically, on the date of the assassination of Martin Luther King and ends, symbolically, on July the 4th. It will run from the date of the death of a dream that will not die to the date of the birth of a vision which has yet to be fulfilled.

So, what is the purpose of this ambitious campaign, who is behind it, and what can we expect of it – and of ourselves? The purpose is stated on its website and is quite clear.

We are a Movement of Movements

“The Worldwide #WaveOfAction begins April 4th and runs through July 4th.

During this three-month cycle, people throughout the world will be protesting corruption, rallying around solutions and taking part in alternative systems. The new paradigm will be on full display.

Studies have proven that it only takes 3.5% of the population taking nonviolent action to create meaningful and positive change. The #WaveOfAction gives all of us who want change a powerful opportunity to #EvolveSociety.

Change-makers all over the world will be engaged at the same time in an unprecedented wave of transformation.”

OK, that sounds acceptable (to most of the 99%, and certainly not the 1%). Now, who is behind this?

I confess that I can’t say that I have figured that out. It appears to be nobody. Or, perhaps everybody. Or, a coterie of patriots/anarchists/misfits who – such as when Zuccotti Park came to be occupied – are taking it upon themselves to rekindle that Occupy fire.

Word has it that #OWS #Anon and its allies put out a call to action for a World Wide Wave of creative community coordination and collaboration this winter. There were two organizing conference calls prior to April 4. One on March 25, and the other on April 2. (David Degrawis one of the facilitators)

Whoever started it, it can be said that occupiers around the world are standing with it, and many called in to declare that support and to announce events they were planning locally.

But, they are coming up against a very familiar foe – themselves.

The Naysayers…and worse

Anyone familiar with Occupy knows that it is rife with the usual suspects: gripers, snipers and full-blown trolls whose only purpose seems to be that of making sure that “solidarity” will never be had. “How dare (someone/something) do/be (provide the offense).” Everything is suspect, and anyone taking a lead roll is to be suspected.

Whether or not this will affect the success of #WaveOfAction will not be known for some time, but the offenders are being put on notice. Activist and creater of Occu-Evolve,Sumumba Sobukwe, had this to say:

“The Irony of those complaining about this ‘Wave of Action’ is that it will only be a failure if they continue to find fault with EVERYTHING that ‘reeks’ of coordination that might make people move beyond facebook,twitter and other social media ‘activism’ as well as their own silos of causes and interests to actually go out and organize with others in the streets.”

He continues, “When did an ‘occupy’ action ever draw more than a few hundred people that didn’t have unions, grassroots or other groups involved? Who are we fooling here? Occupy has ALWAYS been made up of different groups and individuals, and that’s where the concept of the ’99%’ came closest to being real or at least unifying in theory.”

So, in addition to proving Pogo’s theorem, “We have met the enemy, and they are us,” what other odds militate against the campaign having any major effect? Let me count the ways:

1. A largely indifferent press. Activists deride the “MainStream Media” for not paying attention to even the largest of its protests and greatest of its triumphs. Occupy is hardly alone. Last year’s March Against Monsanto which attracted a half-million marchers or more worldwide did not find its way into print or broadcast in any meaningful way. (P.S. Occupy folk helped make that march happen, as well).

A police force dedicated to crushing public dissent. Naaaah, that can’t be happening here in America, right? That’s what you find in Russia, or Egypt, or China. Thank God that “to serve and protect” applies to citizens in the street and peaceful protestors, yes? Here’s a retired cop who has a word or two on that, Captain Ray Harris. Oh, and not to forget Cecily McMillan’s experience with the Boys in Blue which finds her at risk of jail time for resisting their abuse.

Elected officials. One would think that people who are elected to represent us willactually represent us, and that they will be at the front of any parade or protest demanding justice and protecting civil liberties. Think again. If you ain’t got the money (and few occupiers/activists do), they ain’t got the time. And, if their party can’t co-opt your movement for their betterment, they’ll be the first to applaud authorities who arrest you. Hell, they will demand that force be used.

The 1%. You can be certain that the #WaveOfAction will be countered by a #FloodOfMoney spent to discredit its work and mission. Did I mention Fox? CNN? Stay tuned and see how money talks.

So, I leave it to you, the reader. Will this be a “Wave,” or a “Wave Goodbye” on the part of Occupy and its brother and sister causes? Will you listen to the detractors within and the enemies without and surrender to the impossible forces against you?

Or, will you take comfort in your own, amazing numbers and brilliance and continue to fight the good fight as so many have before you in America’s history. You are the dream that Martin referred to, and the nightmare that the 1% are waking up to.

No one but the most addled hippie really likes a drum circle, but only the war-like LAPD could possibly see one as any kind of threat. Hundreds of people assemble every Sunday by the Venice boardwalk for the Venice Drum Circle, a public gathering in a public space that rarely if ever results in any reports of bad behavior, except when the LAPD shows up to cause trouble for no real reason. (Even an LAPD officer describes the drum circle as a “peaceful occurrence.”) But for the past three weeks the LAPD has attempted to break up the peaceful gatherings once the sun has set, because them’s the rules, and the drummers have refused, because they’ve got a good groove going or whatever. So the LAPD has gone into full riot response. On a drum circle.

Last night, between 400 and 500 people were again causing no trouble at all when the LAPD came in to shut them down; when most people stayed, “an airship and multiple LAPD units executed a skirmish line [to] the push the crowd north,” according to Venice 311. A few people threw things, so they “called for a specialized unit from the Metro division which includes SWAT and mounted units for assistance,” which they had to cancel eventually because the crowd was like “whatever” after just 25 minutes. Everyone ended up dispersing pretty easily; one person who rushed the police line and another who “refused to move,” according to KTLA, were arrested.

LIVE NOW [4pm Sunday]: Solidarity with the Venice Drum Circle
1000 Ocean Front Walk ‪#‎WaveOfAction‬
Join us to bear witness to the evening dispersal orders issued to the Sunday Venice Beach drum circle. It is our human right to have 24/7 access to life sustaining waterways such as the ocean and drum alongside waves without being forced out by riot police.

Scheduled for today so we can protesttheconference of Conspirators, those business and government officials who are meeting to force fracking through against the public interest and before the public have been warned of the danger.

Officials who have their head in a box and are prepared to destroy the world for profit.

We know they have re-located their conference for fear of us and we know where it is.

We will stick to our original plan: meet at our Battersea studio, march over the bridge to the King’s Rd, join fellow protestors at Knightsbridge tube then move to the original location of the conference, a stone’s throw away at Jumeira Hotel. We will give our speeches outside and then go to the secret location.

Battersea. We were ready. I had given all our workmates the day off. Cindy the youngest member of Climate Revolution had done a great job mustering the troops and organizing our students to make plaquards. Others who joined us were in carnival mood, dressed as zombies and ghouls.

I hadn’t wanted a carnival. It’s a matter of life and death and I didn’t wear my warpaint. We want to attract “ordinary people” and by that we mean people who aren’t normally political. But our activist colleagues were right we needed the Carnival. We were only expecting up to 500 people and that’s how it turned out. It was a week day, also Budget Day. Did the conspirators plan that?- don’t underestimate their fear of the public. John Sauven, head of Greenpeace couldn’t come because he was dealing with press on the budget. And what about students? Simon, a student activist friend should have been organizing but he didn’t even show up: because he’s doing his exams. Come on !

We looked great. There was lots of press. I was asked to lead the procession. I bowed and put my hands together in prayer, as you would before a battle. Then off we were!

People in King’s Rd hailed us in support and Cindy shouted out, keeping us all together because of having to stop for traffic. I talked to some of my friends as we marched along. At the Jumeirah Hotel we met Rhythm of Resistance, a samba band and campaigner Nigel with his demo/disco bus. In front of the hotel was a little square where we gave our speeches and thanked the fighters in the anti-fracking camps. Vanessa Vine From Balcombe is an inspiring speaker and full of powerful information. She’s been fighting fracking for 3 years and is just back from America. The queen of it all was scientist Tisha who was responsible for much of the organization and acted as a master of ceremonies –the prettiest ghoule you ever saw but she stays anonymous so you can’t see a photo of her. Then some of us got on Nigel’s bus and went to the secret location near to Bunyon Fields near Old St.

When we got near I looked out the window and saw another demonstration walking down the main road and they looked really interesting, lots of them, then I read the plaquards and realized it was us, the others had come on the tube. (They had a good time explaining to people what we are about – life and death, yeah!) We met our mole who had been inside the conference so we are informed of the conspirator’s agenda. See their confidential presentation www.talkfracking.org. The secret location was Armoury House on City Rd.

The samba band was really important – lots of drumming outside the gates. The press asked me,

“How do you feel that the pro-frackers have come here to escape you, protected by the army?”

You sometimes worry that you’re so small against the enormous power of theconspiracy to destroy – press, politics, business, banks – and what perhaps only seems to be the acquiescence of the general public. It is heartening to read those articles of mutual support in the fight, from journalists of the standard press, especially the Guardian and those on the Internet and of course the support of all the NGO’s and sometimes great groups of people. At our demo someone gave out flyers for the Green Party, a great group with whom I entirely agree. They start by condemning austerity. If all the world would put their financial programme into practise we could save the earth and economic collapse.

It’s so important to demonstrate for your beliefs. We will win because we have to.

In his two decade career, Fon Davis has worked on over 30 feature films. As a alumnus of the Industrial Light and Magic Model Shop, Fon has worked on features such as STAR WARS, PEARL HARBOR, STARSHIP TROOPERS, GALAXAY QUEST III, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III and THE MATRIX series.

In addition to his work in visual effects, Fon has also worked in Disney’s art departments as a concept designer/model maker, and on several stop motion projects including THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and CORALINE.

More recently, Fon was the Miniatures Supervisor on Neill Blomkamp’s, ELYSIUM. Having started Fonco Creative Services in 2000 and later merging with New Deal Studios, Fon also writes and develops his own projects, frequently using his CG skills alongside practical model making. With his vast experience, Fon is well-placed to discuss the art and craft of model making for cinema, from concept design to hybrid practical and cgi effects, with a particular expertise in knowing where models and miniatures can play a role in today’s digital world.

COURSE GRADING AND CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

To earn a Certificate of Completion, the student must complete all assignments within the duration of the course.

To earn a Certificate of Mastery, the student must complete all assignments within the duration of the course, as well as demonstrate a clear, working knowledge of all techniques presented and an ability to apply them.

It’s your chance to narrate our VIEW story through a comic. You can choose any of the following years on which to base your comic 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013. Use our website to get the materials you need to weave your comic about VIEW Conference. (Deadline August 31, 2014)

VIEW 2014, from 15th to 18th October in Torino, will continue to focus on exploring the increasingly fluid boundary between real and digital worlds. Through lectures, meetings, tributes, exhibits, screenings and demo presentations VIEW will reveal the new digital frontier sweeping from cinema to architecture, from automotive design to advertisement, from medicine to videogames.

Now that you’ve seen The People REVOLT in Tunisia, Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Brazil and the Ukraine, tell me what will happen on the streets

On April 4th, we will launch the first phase of the Worldwide Wave of Action by gathering at Zuccotti Park and former occupation sites throughout the world to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. At 6:05pm CT, the time of his assassination, we will host vigil ceremonies and resurrect his spirit of nonviolent direct action.

People with opinions across the political spectrum are invited to unite and find common ground against corruption. We will overcome divide and conquer propaganda by forming communities of support and compassion. Together we will fight for freedom and begin engaging in a relentless campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience. People will pledge to take part in whatever tactics they are interested in throughout a sustained three-month cycle. Here’s a basic list of tactics…

You know what you can do to play a part. Do whatever you feel inspired to do. Amplify what you are already doing. Think about what you are willing to do to be the change we urgently need to see in the world, and then do it.

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